Japanese Tea Ceremony

Japanese tea ceremony (Chaji, the full ceremony or Cha No Yu, tea ceremony) or “The Way of Tea” (Chado), is well worth knowing especially if you are planning a trip to Japan or want to entertain.   It is rising in popularity in Japan as a hobby and past time and classes can be taken in Japan for the correct etiquette of the Japanese tea ceremony.

If you are seriously interested in Japanese culture and/or martial arts, you may find yourself invited to participate in a Japanese tea ceremony or even organising one to entertain guests outside of Japan. 
About The Ceremony
The Japanese Tea Ceremony, as with a large number of ceremonies of eastern origin, was introduced to Japan as part of the Zen Buddhist religious wave that came from China and therefore has much of its ceremonial tradition based in Zen practices. The full traditional ceremony involves the serving of a three course meal.
The host’s, teishu’s, detailed preparation and organisation of the event is to achieve correctness. Traditional venues, chashitsu, for the Japanese tea ceremony are rooms in cultural community centres or private houses.  Traditional chashitsu still exist and the course of events is predetermined by strict traditions. The essential parts played by guest and host are to satisfy both zen and Japanese traditional requirements. The cleansing, numbers of people, respect paid, repetitions of movement and behaviour are relevant to provide the correct spiritual atmosphere throughout the Japanese tea ceremony.
Etiquette
The specific course of events involves spiritual cleansing and specific behaviour by everyone involved, including guests even before entering the chashitsu.  Essentially, the preparations even prior to the actual Japanese tea ceremony symbolise separation of the physical and spiritual worlds.  
The appearance of the Japanese tea ceremony room itself is undecorated except for an alcove containing a scroll that depends on the theme the host has chosen. The scroll is usually changed for flowers before tea is served. Cleansing takes place before each occasion of entering the room and each of the participants must pay detailed attention to their own part. The giving of compliments to the host and host’s response are well defined in the traditions of the Japanese Tea Ceremony.
To summarise, all of the courses of the three course meal of the Japanese Tea Ceremony are served to each guest on a tray, traditionally with fresh cedar chopsticks. The first course, chakaiseki, is served on a tray consisting of cooked white rice in a ceramic bowl, miso soup in covered lacquer bowls, plain or pickled raw fish and vegetables in a ceramic dish.  Sake is served with the meal in cups from a small container.  Following consumption of the meal, guests will be expected to leave the rooms to await being summoned for the serving of tea. Depending on the time of day, a gong or bell is sounded five to seven times to signify it is time for the guests to return and continue their part of the Japanese Tea Ceremony.  Again specific cleansing and behaviour must be observed prior to entering the room. 
Matcha, the tea served during the Japanese tea ceremony is made from a powdered green tea (distinctly unlike western teas such as classical English tea often taken with milk and sugar) with a clean slightly bitter taste.  Two types, Koi cha and Usa cha are served one after the other respectively using specific utensils. The utensils traditionally used are chawan (tea bowl), chasen (tea whisk), chakin (white bleached linen cloth to dry the bowl), chashaku (bamboo scoop used to dispence matcha), a water jar for hot water, a kensui (waste water bowl), a hishaku (bamboo water ladle), futaoki (a green bamboo rest for the kettle lid) a fukusa (fine silk cloth, the spirit of teishu).  However for a modern experience of the Japanese tea ceremony we recommend that you click here for a 6 piece set of the required utensils made from high quality wood and here for a traditionally styled Japanese teaset for four.  For further information about more types of teas click here for our recommended partner or here for our recommended book, Chado, The Way of Tea or Japanese tea ceremony.